Mary is also our Life, because she obtains for us Perseverance.

STORY
The history of St Mary of Egypt, in the first book of the lives of the Fathers, is well known.  At the age of twelve years she fled from the house of her parents, went to Alexandria, where she led an infamous life, and was a scandal to the whole city. After living for sixteen years in sin, she took it into her head to go to Jerusalem.  At the time the feast of the holy cross was being celebrated, and, moved rather by curiosity than by devotion, she determined on entering the church; but when at the door, she felt herself repelled by an invisible force.  She made a second attempt, and was again unable to enter; and the same thing was repeated a third and a fourth time.  Finding her efforts in vain, the unfortunate creature withdrew to a corner of the porch, and there, enlightened from above, understood that it was on account of her infamous life that God had repelled her even from the church.  In that moment she fortunately raised her eyes and beheld a picture of Mary.  No sooner did she perceive it, than, sobbing, she exclaimed, “O Mother of God, pity a poor sinner!  I know that on account of my sins I deserve not that you should cast your eyes upon me.  But you are the refuge of sinners; for the love of your Son Jesus, help me.  Permit me to enter the church, and I promise to change my life, to go and do penance in whatever place you point out to me.”  She immediately heard an internal voice, as it were that of the Blessed Virgin, replying:  “Since you have recourse to me, and wish to change your life, go – enter the church, it is no longer closed against you.”  The sinner entered, adored the cross and wept bitterly.  She then returned to the picture, and said, “Lady, behold I am ready, where will you, that I should go to do penance?”  “Go,” the Blessed Virgin replied, “cross the Jordan, and you will find the place of your repose.”  She went to confession and Communion, and then passed the river, and finding herself in the desert, she understood that it was in that place she should do penance for her sinful life.  During the first seventeen years the assaults of the devil, by which he endeavored to make the saint again fall into sin, were terrible.  And what were her means of defence?  She constantly recommended herself to Mary, and this most Blessed Virgin obtained for her strength to resist during the whole of this time, after which her combats ceased.  After fifty-seven years spent in the desert, and having attained the age of eighty-seven years she was by a disposition of Providence met by the Abbot Zosimus; to him she related the history of her life, and entreated him to return the following year, and to bring her the holy Communion.  The saintly Abbot did so, and gave her the bread of angels.  She then requested that he would again return to see her.  This also he did, but he found her dead.  Her body was  encompassed by a bright light, and at her head these words were written, “Bury my body here – it is that of a poor sinner, and intercede with God for me.”  A lion came and made a grave with his claws.  St Zosimus buried her, returned to his monastery, and related the wonders of God’s mercy towards this happy sinner.

PRAYER
O compassionate Mother, most sacred Virgin, behold at your feet the traitor, who, by paying with ingratitude the graces received from God through your means, has betrayed both you and Him.  But I must tell you, O most blessed Lady, that my misery, far from taking away my confidence, increases it; for I see that your compassion is great in proportion to the greatness of my misery.  Show yourself, O Mary, full of liberality towards me; for this is how you are towards all who invoke your aid.  All that I ask is that you should cast your eyes of compassion on me, and pity me.  If your heart is thus far moved, it cannot do otherwise than protect me; and if you protect me, what can I fear?  No, I fear nothing; I do not fear my sins, for you can provide a remedy; I do not fear devils, for you are more powerfull than the whole of hell; I do not even fear your Son, though justly irritated against me, for at a word of yours he will be appeased.  I only fear lest, in my temptations, and by my own fault, I may cease to recommend myself to you, and therefore be lost.  But I now promise you that I will always have recourse to you; O, help me to fulfil my promise.  Lose not the opportunity which now presents itself of gratifying your ardent desire to comfort such poor wretches as myself.  In you, O Mother of God, I have unbounded confidence.  From you I hope for grace to bewail my sins as I ought, and from you I hope for strength never again to fall into them.  If I am sick, you, O heavenly physician, can heal me.  If my sins have weakened me your help will strengthen me.  O Mary, I hope all from you; for you are all-powerful with God.  Amen.

The post The Glories of Mary #6: She Obtains For Us Perseverance first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Necessity of the Intercession of Mary for our Salvation.

STORY

The history of Theophilus, written by Eutychian, patriarch of Constantinople, and who was an eye-witness of the fact he relates, is well known.  It is attested by St Peter Damian, St Bernard, St Bonaventure, St Antonine, and by others quoted by Father Crasset.

Theophilus was archdeacon of the church of Adana, a city of Cilicia, and he was held in such veneration by the people that they wished to have him for their bishop, but he, out of humility, refused the dignity.  It happened that evil-disposed persons accused him falsely of some crime, and for this he was deposed from his archdeaconry.  He took this so much to heart, that, blinded by passion, he went to a Jewish magician, who made him consult Satan, that he might help him in his misfortune. The devil told him that if he desired to be helped by him, he must renounce Jesus and his Mother Mary, and consign him the act of renunciation written in his own hand.  Theophilus immediately complied with the demand.  The next day, the bishop having discovered that he had been deceived, asked the archdeacon’s pardon, and restored him to office.  No sooner was this accomplished than his conscience was torn with remorse, and he could do nothing but weep.  What could he do?  He went to a church, and there casting himself all in tears at the feet of an image of Mary, he thus addressed her:  “O Mother of God, I will not despair as long as I can have access to you, who are so compassionate, and have the power to help me.”  He remained thus weeping and praying to our Blessed Lady for forty days – when, lo, one night the Mother of mercy appeared to him, and said:  “O Theophilus, what have you done?  You have renounced my friendship and that of my Son, and for whom?  For his and my enemy.”  “O Lady”, answered Theophilus, “you must pardon me, and obtain my forgiveness from your Son.”  Mary seeing his confidence, replied:  “Be of good heart; I will intercede for you with God.”  Theophilus, encouraged by these consoling words, redoubled his tears, mortifications, and prayers, and never left the image.  At last Mary again appeared to him, and with a cheerful countenance said:  “Theophilus, be of good heart; I have presented your tears and prayers to God; he has accepted them, and has already pardoned you; but from this day forward be grateful to him and faithful.”  But, O Lady,” replied Theophilus, “that is not yet enough to satisfy me entirely; the enemy still possesses that impious writing in which I renounced you and your Son.  You can oblige him to surrender it.”  Three days afterwards, Theophilus awoke in the night, and found the writing on his chest.  On the following day he went to the church where the bishop was, and, in the presence of an immense concourse of people, cast himself at his feet, and with bitter tears related all that had taken place, and delivered into his hands the infamous writing.  The bishop committed it to the flames in the presence of all the people, who did nothing but weep for joy, and praise the goodness of God, and the mercy of Mary shown towards this poor sinner.  But he, returning to the church of our Blessed Lady, remained there for three days, and then expired, his heart filled with joy, and returning thanks to Jesus and to his most holy Mother.

PRAYER

O Queen and Mother of mercy, who dispenses graces to all who have recourse to you with so much liberality, because you are a Queen, and with so much love, because you are our most loving Mother; to you do I, who am so devoid of merit and virtue, and so loaded with debts to the divine justice, recommend myself this day.  O Mary, you hold the keys of all the divine mercies; forget not my miseries, and leave me not in my poverty.  You are so liberal with all, and give more than you are asked for, O, be thus liberal with me.  O Lady, protect me, this is all that I ask of you.  If you protect me, I fear nothing.  I fear not the evil spirits; for you are more powerful than all of them.  I fear not my sins; for you by one word can obtain their full pardon from God.  And if I have your favour, I do not even fear an angry God; for a single prayer of you will appease him.  In fine, if you protect me, I hope all; for you are all-powerful.  O Mother of mercy, I know that you take pleasure and do glory in helping the most miserable, and, provided they are not obstinate, that you can help them.  I am a sinner, but am not obstinate; I desire to change my life.  You can, then, help me; O, help me and save me.  I now place myself entirely in your hands.  Tell me what I must do in order to please God, and I am ready for all, and hope to do all with your help, O Mary – Mary my Mother, my light, my consolation, my refuge, my hope.  Amen, amen, amen.

The post The Glories of Mary #13: Mary Our Mediatress first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Necessity of the Intercession of Mary for our Salvation.

STORY
In Germany a man fell into a grievous sin; through shame he was unwilling to confess it; but, on the other hand, unable to endure the remorse of his conscience, he went to throw himself into a river; on the point of doing so, he hesitated, and weeping, he begged that God would forgive him his sin without his confessing it.  One night, in his sleep, he felt someone shake his arm, and heard a voice which said, “Go to confession.”  He went to the church, but yet did not confess.  On another night, he again heard the same voice.  He returned to the church; but when he arrived there, he declared that he would rather die than confess that sin.  But before returning home he went to recommend himself to the most Blessed Virgin, whose image was in that church.  He had no sooner knelt down than he found himself quite changed.  He immediately arose, called a confessor, and weeping bitterly, through the grace which he had received from Mary, made an entire confession of his sins; and he afterwards declared that he experienced greater satisfaction than if he had obtained all the treasures of the world.

PRAYER
I will address you, O great Mother of God, in the words of St Bernard; “Speak, O Lady, for your Son hears you, and whatever you ask you will obtain.”  Speak, speak, then, O Mary, our advocate, in favor of us poor miserable creatures.  Remember that it was also for our good that you did receive so great power and so high a dignity.  A God was pleased to become your debtor by taking humanity of you, in order that you might dispense at will the riches of divine mercy to sinners.  We are your servants, devoted in a special manner to you; and I am one of these, I trust, even in a higher degree.  We glory in living under your protection.  Since you do good to all, even to those who neither know nor honor you, rather, more, to those who outrage and blaspheme you, how much more may we not hope from your benignity, which seeks out the wretched in order to relieve them, we who honor, love, and confide in you?  We are great sinners, but God has enriched you with compassion and power far exceeding our iniquities.  You can, and have the will to save us; and the greater is our unworthiness, the greater shall be our hope in order to glorify you the more in heaven, when by your intercession we get there.  O Mother of mercy, we present you our souls, once cleansed and rendered beautiful in the blood of Jesus Christ, but, alas, since that time, defiled by sin.  To you do we present them; do you purify them.  Obtain for us true conversion; obtain for us the love of God, perseverance, heaven.  We ask you for much; but what is it?  Perhaps you can not obtain all?  It is perhaps too much for the love of God bears you?  Ah, no! for you have only to open your lips and ask your divine Son; he will deny you nothing.  Pray, then, pray O Mary, for us; pray; you will certainly obtain all; and we shall with the same certainty obtain the kingdom of heaven.

The post The Glories of Mary #14: Mary Our Advocate first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Mary is so tender an Advocate that she does not refuse to defend the Cause even of the most miserable.

STORY
In one of our missions, after the sermon on the Blessed Virgin Mary, which it is always customary in our Congregation to preach, a very old man came to make his confession to one of the Fathers.  Filled with consolation he said, “Father, our Blessed Lady has granted me a grace.”  “What grace has she granted you?”  the confessor asked.  “You must know, Father,” he replied, “that for five-and-thirty years I have made sacrilegious confessions, for there is a sin which I was ashamed to confess; and yet I have passed through many dangers, have many times been at the point of death, and had I then died, I should certainly have been lost; but now our Blessed Lady has touched my heart with grace to tell it.”  This he said weeping, and shedding so many tears, that he quite excited compassion.  The Father, after hearing his confession, asked him what devotion he had practised.  He replied that on Saturdays he had never failed to abstain from milk-diet in honor of Mary, and that on this account the Blessed Virgin had shown him mercy.  At the same time he gave the Father leave to publish the fact.

PRAYER
O great Mother of my Lord, I see full well that my ingratitude towards God and you, and this too for so many years, has merited for me that you should justly abandon me, and no longer have a care of me, for an ungrateful soul is no longer worthy of favors.  But I, O Lady, have a high idea of your great goodness; I believe it to be far greater than my ingratitude.  Continue, then, O refuge of sinners, and cease not to help a miserable sinner who confides in you. O Mother of mercy, deign to extend a helping hand to a poor fallen wretch who asks you for pity.  O Mary, either defend me yourself, or tell me to whom I can have recourse, and who is better able to defend me than you, and where I can find with God a more clement and powerful advocate than you, who are his Mother.  You, in becoming the Mother of our Saviour, was thereby made the fitting instrument to save sinners, and was given me for my salvation.  O Mary, save him who has recourse to you.  I deserve not your love, but it is your own desire to save sinners, that makes me hope that you love me.  And if you love me, how can I be lost?  O my own beloved Mother, if by you I save my soul, as I hope to do, I shall no longer be ungrateful, I shall make up for my past ingratitude, and for the love which you have shown me, by my everlasting praises, and all the affections of my soul.  Happy in heaven, where you reign, and will reign forever, I shall always sing your mercies, and kiss for eternity those loving hands which have delivered me from hell, as often as I have deserved it by my sins.  O Mary, my liberator, my hope, my Queen, my advocate, my own sweet Mother, I love you; I desire your glory, and I love you forever.  Amen, amen.  Thus do I hope.

The post The Glories of Mary #15: Mary Our Advocate first appeared on AirMaria.com.

AND AFTER THIS OUR EXILE SHOW UNTO US THE BLESSED FRUIT OF THY WOMB, JESUS

STORY
In the year 1604, in a city of Belgium, there were two young men, students, but who, instead of attending to their studies, gave themselves up to a life of debauchery.  One night they were both in the house with an evil companion, when one of them, named Richard, returned home, leaving his companion there.  After he had reached home, and had begun to undress, he remembered he had not that day said some “Hail Marys,” that he was in the habit of reciting.  Feeling very sleepy he was loath to say them; he did himself violence, and repeated them, though without devotion, and half asleep.  He then lay down, and had fallen into a sound slumber, when he was suddenly roused by a violent knocking at the door, and without its opening he saw his companion, deformed and hideous, standing before him.  “Who are you?” he cried out.  “What! Do you not know me?” “Ah, yes! But how you are changed; you seem to me a devil.”  “Truly,” he exclaimed, “poor unfortunate creature that I am, I am damned; and how?  When I was leaving that wicked house, a devil came and strangled me; my body is in the street, and my soul in hell; and you must know,”  added he, “that the same fate awaited you, had not the Blessed Virgin preserved you in consideration of that little act of homage of the ‘Hail Mary.’  Fortunate are you if only you know how to take advantage of this warning sent you by the Mother of God.”  With these words he opened his mantle, and, showing the flames and serpents by which he was tormented, he disappeared.  Richard immediately burst into sobs and tears, and, casting himself prostrate on the ground, he returned thanks to Mary, his protectress; and, while thinking how to change his life, he heard the bell of the Franciscan monastery ringing for matins.  “Ah! It is there,” says he, “that God calls me to do penance.”  He went immediately to the convent, and implored the Fathers to admit him.  But they were hardly willing to do so, knowing his wicked life; but he, sobbing bitterly, told all that had taken place; and two Fathers being sent to the street, and having found the strangled body, which was as black as a coal, they admitted him.  From that time forward Richard led a most exemplary life, and at last went to preach the Gospel in the Indies, and then to Japan, where he had the happiness of giving his life for Jesus Christ, being burnt alive for the faith.

PRAYER
O Mary, my most dear Mother, in what an abyss of evils should I not now be, if you had not so many times delivered me with your compassionate hand!  How many years ago should I not have been in hell, had you not saved me by your powerful prayers!  My grievous sins already drove me there; divine justice had already condemned me; the devils already longed to execute the sentence; and you did fly to my aid, and save me without being even called or asked.  And what return can I make to you, O my beloved protectress, for so many favors and for such love?  You also did overcome the hardness of my heart, and did draw me to your love and to confidence in you.  And into how many other evils should I not have fallen, if with your compassionate hand you had not so often helped me in the dangers into which I was on the point of falling!  Continue, O my hope, to preserve me from hell, and from the sins into which I may still fall.  Never allow me to have this misfortune – to curse you in hell.  My beloved Lady, I love you.  Can your goodness ever endure to see a servant of yours that loves you lost?  Ah! then, obtain that I may never more be ungrateful to you and to my God, who for the love of you has granted me so many graces.  O Mary, tell me, shall I be lost?  Yes, if I abandon you.  But is this possible?  Can I ever forget the love you have borne me?  You, after God, are the love of my soul.  I can no longer trust myself to live without loving you.  O most beautiful, most holy, most amiable, sweetest creature in the world, I rejoice in you happiness, I love you, and I hope always to love you both in time and in eternity.  Amen.

The post The Glories of Mary #18: Mary Our Salvation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Mary Succors Her Clients In Purgatory.

STORY

A noble lady, who had an only son, was informed one day that he had been killed.  The murderer had by chance taken refuge in her own palace.  She then began to reflect that Mary had forgiven the executioners of her Son; and therefore determined that she also would pardon that criminal for the love of the sorrowful Mary.  She not only did this, but also provided him with a horse, money and clothes, that he might escape.  Her son then appeared to her, and told her that he was saved, and that for her generous conduct to his enemy the divine Mother had delivered him from purgatory, in which otherwise he would have had to suffer for a long time, and that he was then going to Paradise.

PRAYER

O Queen of heaven and earth!  O Mother of the Lord of the world!  O Mary, of all creatures the greatest, the most exalted, and the most amiable! It is true that there are many in this world who neither know you nor love you; but in heaven there are may millions of angels and blessed spirits, who love and praise you continually.  Even in this world, how many happy souls are there not who burn with your love, and live enamoured of your goodness!  O, that I also could love you, O Lady worthy of all love!  O, that I could always remember to serve you, to praise you, to honor you, and engage all to love you!  You have attracted the love of God, whom, by your beauty, you have, so to say, torn from the bosom of his Eternal Father, and engaged to become man, and be your Son.  And shall I, a poor worm of the earth, not be enamoured of you?  No, my most sweet Mother, I also will love you much, and will do all that I can to make others love you also.  Accept, then, O Mary, the desire that I have to love you, and help me to execute it.  I know how favorably your lovers are looked upon by God.  He, after his own glory, desires nothing more than yours, and to see you honored and loved by all.  From you, O Lady, do I expect all; through you the remission of my sins, through you perseverance.  You must assist me at death, and deliver me from purgatory; and finally, you must lead me to heaven.  All this your lovers hope from you, and are not deceived.  I, who love you with so much affection, and above all other things, after God, hope for the same favors.

The post The Glories of Mary #19: Mary Our Salvation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Mary Leads Her Servants to Heaven.

STORY

The Franciscan Chronicles relate that a certain Brother Leo saw in a vision two ladders the one red, the other white.  On the upper end of the red ladder stood Jesus and on the other stood His holy Mother.  The brother saw that some tried to climb the red ladder; but scarcely had they mounted some rungs when they fell back, they tried again but with no better success.  Then they were advised to try the white ladder and to their surprise they succeeded for the Blessed Virgin stretched out her hand and with her aid they reached heaven.

PRAYER

O Queen of heaven, Mother of holy love!  Since you are the most amiable of creatures, the most beloved of God, and his greatest lover, be pleased to allow the most miserable sinner living in this world, who, having by your means been delivered from hell, and without any merit on his part been so benefited by you and who is filled with love for you, to love you.  I would desire, were it in my power, to let all men who know you not, know how worthy you are of love, that all might love and honor you.  I would desire to die for the love of you, in defence of your virginity, of your dignity of Mother of God, of your Immaculate Conception, should this be necessary, to uphold these your great privileges.  Ah! my most beloved Mother accept this my ardent desire, and never allow a servant of yours who loves you, to become the enemy of your God, whom you love so much.  Alas!  Poor me, I was so for a time, when I offended my Lord.  But then, O Mary, I loved you but little, and strove but little to be beloved by you.  But now there is nothing that I so much desire, after the grace of God, as to love and be loved by you.  I am not discouraged on account of my past sins, for I know that you, O most benign and gracious Lady, do not disdain to love even the most wretched sinners who love you; even more, that you never allow yourself to be surpassed by any in love.  Ah! Queen most worthy of love, I desire to love you in heaven.  There, at your feet, I shall better know how worthy you are of love, how much you have done to save me; and thus I shall love you with greater love, and love you eternally, without fear of ever ceasing to love you.  O Mary, I hope most certainly to be saved by your means.  Pray to Jesus for me.  Nothing else is needed; you have to save me; you are my hope.  I will therefore always sing O Mary, my hope, you have to save me.

The post The Glories of Mary #20: Mary Our Salvation first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Mary Vitamin for July 22nd
Feast of St. Mary Magdalen

Topic: Gaining the affection of Mary by practicing courtesy

Quote:
St. Alphonsus di Liguori
Saint Gregory Nazianzen assures us that there is nothing by which we can with
greater certainty gain the affection of Mary then by charity towards our
neighbor.
St. Alphonsus di Liguori, The Glories of Mary, (Tan Books), 479.

Meditation:
The charity and courtesy of St. Mary Magdalen

Why was St. Mary Magdalene unable to recognize the risen Christ? Why did she not
recognize the Messiah after the Resurrection if she was one of the few that
recognized the Messiah when “there was no beauty”? Was the Lord testing St. Mary
Magdalene’s charity? Did He want to leave a testimony of her great love? She
treated someone to whom she thought stole the body of her Lord with great
respect. After she spoke, Jesus revealed His identity to her.

But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into
the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at
the feet where the body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have
taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know
it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you
looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you
carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,”
which means Teacher.
John 20:11-17

Resolution:
Today, I will work to win the affection of the Blessed Virgin Mary by speaking
with courtesy.

Marian Vow:
St. Claude de la Colombiere
We have no reason to despise anyone. A humble man sees only his own faults. It
is a sign of little virtue to notice the imperfections of others. A person may
be imperfect today who in a little while, recognizing this, may rise to great
sanctity.
Mother M. Philip, I.B.V.M., arr. & ed. The Spiritual Direction of Saint Claude
de la Colombiere,(

Related sites: Castle of the Immaculate

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Mary Vitamin is a daily Email support for Marian mental prayer. Each day (Monday through Friday) members will receive a brief Marian quote with a corresponding Marian meditation and resolution. The Mary Vitamin is designed to make mental prayer a little simpler and bring Our Lady into your day in a systematic way.

The post St. Mary Magdalen and Courtesy first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Sweetness of the Name of Mary during Life and Death.

STORY

St Camilla de Lellis urged the members of his community to remind the dying often to utter the holy names of Jesus and Mary.  Such was his custom when assisting people in their last hour.  When he himself came to die he gave an edifying example of confidence in the holy names.  His biographer relates that when death was approaching, the saint invoked the sweet names of Jesus and Mary with such tender devotion that all present were inflamed with love for the sacred names.  With his eyes fixed on the images of Jesus and Mary, and his arms crossed on his breast, an expression of heavenly peace rested on his face when his soul took its flight.  His last words were the sacred names of Jesus and Mary.

PRAYER

O great Mother of God and my Mother Mary, it is true that I am unworthy to name you; but you, love me and desire my salvation, must, notwithstanding the impurity of my tongue, grant that I may always invoke your most holy and powerful name in my aid, for your name is the succor of the living, and the salvation of the dying.  Ah, most pure Mary, most sweet Mary, grant that henceforth your name may be the breath of my life.  O Lady, delay not to help me when I invoke you, for in all the temptations which assail me, and in all my wants, I will never cease calling upon you, and repeating again and again, Mary, Mary.  Thus it is that I hope to act during my life, and more particularly at death, that after that last struggle I may eternally praise your beloved name in heaven, O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Ah, Mary, most amiable Mary, with what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness, is my soul penetrated in only naming, in only thinking of you!  I thank my Lord and God, who for my good, has given you a name so sweet and deserving of love, and at the same time so powerful.  But, my sovereign Lady, I am not satisfied with only naming you, I wish to name you with love:  I desire that my love may every hour remind me to call on you, so that I may be able to exclaim with St Bonaventure, “O name of the Mother of God, you are my love.”  My own dear Mary, O my beloved Jesus, may your most sweet names reign in my heart, and in all hearts.  Grant that I may forget all others to remember, and always invoke, your adorable names alone.  Ah! Jesus my Redeemer, and my Mother Mary, when the moment of death comes when I must breathe forth my soul and leave this world, deign, through your merits, to grant that I may then pronounce my last words, and that they may be, “I love You, O Jesus; I love you, O Mary; to you do I give my heart and my soul.”

The post The Glories of Mary #22: Sweetness of the Name of Mary first appeared on AirMaria.com.

How befitting it was that each of the Three Persons should preserve Mary from Original Sin.

STORY

A woman came to a house of our little Congregation in this kingdom to let one of the Fathers know that her husband had not been to confession for many years, and the poor creature could no longer tell by what means to bring him to his duty; for if she named confession to him, he beat her. The Father told her to give him a picture of Mary Immaculate. In the evening the woman once more begged her husband to go to confession; but he as usual turned a deaf ear to her entreaties. She gave him the picture. Behold! He had scarcely received it, when he said, “Well, when will you take me to confession, for I am willing to go?” The wife, on seeing this instantaneous change, began to weep for joy. In the morning he really came to our church, and when the Father asked him how long it was since he had been to confession, he answered, “Twenty-eight years.” The Father again asked him what had induced him to come that morning. “Father,” he said, “I was obstinate; but last night my wife gave me a picture of our Blessed Lady, and in the same moment I felt my heart changed, so much so, that during the whole night every moment seemed a thousand years, so great was my desire to go to confession.” He then confessed his sins with great contrition, changed his life, and continued for a long time to go frequently to confession to the same Father.

In another place, in the diocese of Salerno, in which we were giving a mission, there was a man who bore a great hatred to another who had offended him. One of our Fathers spoke to him, that he might be reconciled; but he answered: “Father, did you ever see me at the sermons? No, and for this very reason, I do not go. I know that I am damned; but nothing else will satisfy me, I must have revenge;” The Father did all that he could to convert him; but seeing that he lost his time, he said, “Here, take this picture of our Blessed Lady.” The man at first replied, “But what is the use of this picture?” But no sooner had he taken it, than, as if he had never refused to be reconciled, he said to the missionary, “Father, is anything else required besides reconciliation? – I am willing.” The following morning was fixed for it. When, however, the time came, he had again changed, and would do nothing. The Father offered him another picture, but he refused it; but at length, with great reluctance, took it, when, behold! He scarcely had possession of it than he immediately said, “Now let us be quick; where is Mastrodati?” and he was instantly reconciled with him, and then went to confession.

PRAYER

Ah my Immaculate Lady! I rejoice with you on seeing you enriched with so great purity. I thank, and resolve always to thank, our common Creator for having preserved you from every stain of sin; and I firmly believe this doctrine, and am prepared and swear even to lay down my life, should this be necessary, in defence of this your so great and singular privilege of being conceived immaculate. I would that the whole world knew you and acknowledged you as being that beautiful “Dawn” which was always illumined with divine light; as that chosen “Ark” of salvation, free from the common shipwreck of sin; that perfect and immaculate “Dove” which your divine Spouse declared you to be; that “enclosed Garden” which was the delight of God; that “sealed Fountain” whose waters were never troubled by an enemy; and finally, as that “white Lily,” which you are, and who, though born in the midst of the thorns of the children of Adam, all of whom are conceived in sin, and the enemies of God, was alone conceived pure and spotless, and in all things the beloved of your Creator. Permit me, then, to praise you also as your God himself has praised you: You are all fair, and there is not a spot in you. O most pure Dove, all fair, all beautiful, always the friend of God. O how beautiful are you, my beloved! How beautiful are you! Ah, most sweet, most amiable, immaculate Mary, you who are so beautiful in the eyes of the Lord, – ah, disdain not to cast your compassionate eyes on the wounds of my soul, loathsome as they are. Behold me, pity me, heal me. O beautiful loadstone of hearts, draw also my miserable heart to yourself. O you, who from the first moment of your life did appear pure and beautiful before God, pity me, who not only was born in sin, but have again since baptism stained my soul with crimes. What grace will God ever refuse you, who chose you for his daughter, his Mother, and Spouse, and therefore preserved you from every stain, and in his love preferred you to all other creatures? I will say, in the words of St Philip Neri, “Immaculate Virgin, you have to save me”. Grant that I may always remember you; and you, do you never forget me. The happy day, when I shall go to behold your beauty in Paradise, seems a thousand years off; so much do I long to praise and love you more than I can now do, my Mother, my Queen my beloved, most beautiful, most sweet, most pure, Immaculate Mary. Amen.

The post The Glories of Mary #23: The Immaculate Conception first appeared on AirMaria.com.